Alf Marlow was born in Mansfield, Nottingham, England to George and Willamena Marlow. His grandfather, Henry, was a woodcutter and carpenter. He was the eldest of four children. He was a private in the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment. In 1907 he emigrated to New Zealand on the ship “Ionic”, arriving in Wellington. He played the cornet in the ship’s band.

Alf started work on building the Wellington – Auckland railway stations. A year later he emigrated to Suva, Fiji and jointly formed the building firm Marlow & MacNair in 1910 with Mr James MacNair, later to become Fiji Builders and until 1980 Marlows Ltd. James MacNair relinquished his interest in Marlow & MacNair in 1914.

Alf’s brother, Sydney Frank Marlow, joined him in 1914 and eventually his parents and two sisters joined them in Suva. Alf’s parents left Suva and settled in Auckland after nearly 10 years in Fiji. In June 1916 Sydney left with the 1st Fiji Reinforcements to England where they joined the Kings Royal Rifles in WWI and he was killed in February 1917 aged 25. Sydney had started the first Scouts movement in Fiji, which Alf revived in 1922. He became the Colony Commissioner in 1942 for 10 years and Chairman to the Scouts Association for 10 years.

In 1919 Alf made available and generated hot water from the Suva sawmill during the influenza epidemic. He was a member of the Fiji Defence Force 1914-1918. He acted as Quartermaster to the 1st Battalion 1939-1943 attaining the rank of Captain. He was a member of the Suva Chamber of Commerce from 1922 to 1976, during which he was President for 7 years. Alf was a member of the Suva Municipal Council 1919 to 1939 and a member of the Royal Suva Yacht Club from 1939 becoming Commodore for 7 years and a Life Member until his death in 1981.

During his years in Fiji and alongside his career as a professional man, Alf carried out hospital and school construction in all the urban areas for the Fiji Government erecting large numbers of buildings throughout a suburb of Suva known as The Domain, known for its more stately homes to house Government members. His craftsmen quality buildings were of high merit and notably, he built the Band Rotunda at the Suva Botanical Gardens, Mohammedan Mosque in Lautoka, St. Annes School in Suva and the Air Control Tower at Nadi Airport.

He pioneered the local timber industry between 1912 and 1935 and was a member of various timber advisory committees as well as President of the Automobile Association for 7 years and the Chairman of the Suva ratepayers Association.

Alf also was one of the very few Fiji residents who purchased a small Dornier Libelle flying boat from New Zealand in 1931 to enable him to fly to Lautoka and other coastal settlements instead of travelling by small vessels ( before roads). This aircraft eventually was stored in a timber shed near the Suva Yacht Club, but in 1987 the German manufacturer made Alf an offer to purchase the flying boat parts and he returned the Dornier Libelle where it was reconstructed. It can now be viewed at the Transport Museum in Munich. My son and nephew have viewed this aircraft in recent years.

Dornier Libelle Flying Boat

On 4th April, 1912 Alf married Geraldine “Minnie” Alice Foreman in Suva. Geraldine’s mother (also Geraldine) arrived in Levuka in 1872 after spending some years in Victoria, Australia. She married William MacGowan, Captain of a small sailing ship. They had five children, William, Reginald, Maggie, Andrew and Constance. In 1881 William MacGowan was lost at sea. In 1882 Geraldine married a close friend of theirs, Robert Foreman in Levuka and they had another five children of which my Nana Geraldine is the eldest, then Robert, Edith, Minnie, Iris, and Frank.

Alf and Geraldine had six children, Keith, Edith, Ralph, Minnie, Eric and Betty.

In 1979 Alf Marlow was made an M.B.E. “For services to building and the community”.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Isa Margie I remember Papa Marlow. He used to let Rev Figgess use his Dueba property for “camp” do you remember skinny dipping in the creek? I had no idea you were related to Minnie McGowan. Lolomas, Laurayne Thurley Gluck.

Delighted to read this as I knew old Alf, his daughter Edith, and many others in dear old Suva. You may read more about Alf’s Dornier flying boat in a Fiji Club paper on aviation written by Tom French in the 60s.

Have only come to this site and enjoyed more info on Alf and the family, I am not related in any way, while I knew Alf in the early 70s and Kieth and Eric, my main interest has been re Sydney Frank his brother who was killed in early 1017 at the Somme.

I hold the original photo (framed) that shows Sydney with the first scout troop he started here in Fiji in late 1914, also have the original of Alfs scout warrant that is included in this presentation.
The photo of Alf in a dress suit is the one on the wall at the RSYC, I took it off the wall a year back and sadly it is starting to deteriorate, needs a bit of TLC I suggest.

I have a wealth of info on the short life of Sydney Frank Marlow, have worked with Rebecca Marlow ( nee Wright) on this project, would you like me to submit a short resume on Sydney?
Also a recent project we have been involved in was a photo of a small Locomotive, on a small gauge railway system being operated here in Suva in 1943, info is Alf imported this unit in the early 30s, does anyone recall this loco?
I will post a photo and the info we have if allowed to do so.
Michael Thoms

Hi Michael, Thank you for your comments on Alf Marlow. I am sure there are many who would be greatly interested in the details of the locomotive he imported into Fiji. And yes, please submit your account of Sydney Frank Marlow who started the first scout troop in Fiji. (Ed.)

My father Mervyn Davison worked for CSR in Lautoka from 1934 – 1967. He knew the Marlow Family and was a friend of Keiths. It is great to read a bit more history of Fiji which I still call home having spent my childhood there. Dale Davison

Geraldine Sweeny married William McGowan on Kadavu , the date 1875 is questionable because by then they had two sons and another on the way… in all they had 6 children, Alfred, William, Gordon and Andrew, Maggie and Contance who was still born 4 months after the death of her father Captain William McGowan.

Maggie was my grandmother, she married Charles Brown Parker, an American, in Levuka in 1900. After living in New Zealand for some time where Chas was both a boxer and stage performer, they moved to Australia. Maggie returned to Fiji to visit her brothers and half sisters in 1948 following the 2nd world war. She died at the age of 96 in Queensland.

I lived in Nasova in the ’60’s, beside the Marlow home where the FIRCA building is now.
My parents were ever greatful to Mrs. Marlow for allowing us to plant in their land which was the back portion of their home, next to where the Blakes lived.